Can the Democrats replace Biden?
The Inquiry
BBC
4.6 • 1.7K Ratings
🗓️ 10 July 2024
⏱️ 24 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Since the CNN Presidential Debate in June 2024 headlines in the US calling for Joe Biden to pull out of the race have been relentless. There have been questions about his age, performance, and ability to run for a second term in the White House.
Biden’s ratings have slipped, and donors and party members have publicly said that Biden should step aside.
Joe Biden maintains he will not go and that he is the best person to beat would-be president Donald Trump.
He does still have staunch supporters and he was democratically elected as presumptive nominee by the electorate.
But with weeks to go before the Democratic National Committee meets to make Biden the official candidate, how easy would it be to find a replacement?
This week on The Inquiry we’re asking, can the Democrats replace Biden?
Presented by Tanya Beckett Produced by Louise Clarke Researched by Matt Toulson Production Coordinators: Ellie Dover & Tim Fernley Technical Producer: Nicky Edwards Editor: Tara McDermott
Contributors:
Martha McDevitt Pugh, International Chair of Democrats Abroad
Elaine Kamarck, senior fellow in Governance Studies and the director of the Center for Effective Public Management at The Brookings Institution
Ed Kilgore, political columnist for New York Magazine
Hans Noel, associate Professor of Government at Georgetown University
Image Credit: Bloomberg\Getty
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Before you listen to this BBC podcast I'd like to quickly tell you about some others. |
| 0:05.0 | My name's Andy Martin and I'm the editor of a team of podcast producers at the BBC in Northern Ireland. |
| 0:11.0 | It's a job I really love because we get to tell the stories that really matter |
| 0:15.1 | to people here, but which also resonate and apply to listeners around the world. |
| 0:19.6 | And because the team is such a diverse range of skills and strengths. We have trained journalists, people who love digging through archives, we've got drama and even comedy experts. We really can do those stories justice. |
| 0:31.3 | So if you like this podcast head to BBC |
| 0:33.8 | signs where you'll find plenty more fascinating stories from all around the |
| 0:38.1 | UK. Welcome to the inquiry with me Tanya Beckett from the BBC World Service. |
| 0:44.0 | One question, for expert witnesses and an answer. |
| 0:50.0 | The president I can tell you has seen a neurologist three times as it's connected to the |
| 0:54.5 | to a physical that he gets every year that we provide to all of you. |
| 0:58.3 | It's a very basic direct question. |
| 1:01.3 | Wait, wait, wait, wait wait wait wait wait wait wait |
| 1:04.4 | times or at least once in regards I just wait wait wait hold on a second |
| 1:09.3 | you should be able to answer by this in Washington the speculation has reached fever pitch. |
| 1:15.0 | Widespread doubt about President Biden's fitness to run for re-election in November |
| 1:22.0 | was first prompted on June the 27th after a TV |
| 1:26.0 | debate watched by 51 million people. Biden clashed with rival presidential hopeful |
| 1:32.0 | Donald Trump, |
| 1:33.0 | offering a stumbling, confused performance. |
| 1:37.0 | There are 40% fewer people coming across the border legally. |
| 1:40.0 | That's better when he left office. |
... |
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